Worth The Risk

Chapter Three

Adam's POV

I was walking next to Aubrey and Steven when Aubrey grabbed my arm, "I forgot to give this to Rylie! I have to get to class, can you run it out to her?" Aubrey asked, looking at me pleadingly.

I frowned, "She's probably already gone." I said, still a little shocked that goodie goodie Rylie was skipping.

Aubrey bounced and pouted out her lip and I felt my heart tug. I groaned, "Yeah, fine." I took the folder she handed to me and hurried back down the hall and as soon as I got out the doors I was relieved to see Rylie hadn't yet pulled out. Maybe she was reconsidering leaving.

She was on her phone... and she doesn't look okay. I slowed my walking when I watched her face crumple and she slumped forward with her head on the steering wheel... is she crying? Rylie doesn't cry... well, not anymore. She'd become an emotional robot over the years. She doesn't know it, but I pay attention. I hear some of the conversations she has with my sister when she comes over, and I hear the things she doesn't say and read between the lines. Sometimes I wonder if Aubrey is respecting that Rylie doesn't want to talk about it, or if my sister just believes it when Rylie says that she's okay.

I had stopped walking, but as I became sure that Rylie was crying I jogged over to the car and opened the driver's door without any preamble. If Rylie is crying than something is definitely wrong.

I felt my heart pounding and I wanted to make her stop crying so badly. It hurt to see her hurting like this. "Hey," I put my arms around her, not needing to know what was wrong but needing to comfort her.

I don't know if Rylie knew it was me, but she responded and put her arms around my neck and turned in her seat to cling to me. She cried against my chest and I just rubbed circles on her back, wanting desperately for her to be okay.

"Rylie," I said her name quitely, and when her cries didn't even slow I pulled her against me so that I could sit in the driver's seat and pulled her into my lap. It was probably going to be a while before she stopped. This must be what happens when you repress your emotions for years.

"She's pregnant." Rylie whispered agaisnt my neck, her lips against my skin gave me the fight of my life to keep from shivering and losing my head.

I furrowed my brows, "Whose pregnant?"

"Rachel." Rachel. Her mom.

I cursed, what do I say to that? That woman abandoned her family, her eight year old daughter and only calls every once and a while, and now she's made a new family for herself. She has a husband and now a new child. My heart ached with empathy. Why had Rachel left? How could she turn away from Rylie? Or Mr. Cameron. I'd met him a few times and he was a good guy. What was wrong with this woman that she could so callously replace her family with a new one.

"It's a girl." Rylie added.

I cursed again. "Rylie... I am so sorry." I said the words with the most sincerity I could imagine possible. It wasn't an empty placation. I was sorry. I felt the pain and regret down to my bones. I want to make the pain go away. I want to make her somehow feel okay... but how can I do that? This girl barely tolerates me. I'm probably the last person she wants to see right now. If only Aubrey had brought whatever it is she had me run out to Rylie. Then she would've been her for her friend. But no, I'm the one who has a study period during first so being late isn't a big deal.

Rylie sniffled and I knew she knew it was me, but she didn't pull away. "It sucks. The world sucks. One second I'm insanely jealous of you and Aubrey, and the next I have an infant sister I'll never know. It's like a cruel joke."

I tightened my arms around her, "Jealous of us?" I questioned, not understanding.

She shrugged.